Take Pride in America
Encyclopedia
Take Pride in America is a United States
Department of the Interior partnership program that enables individuals, civic groups, corporations and others to volunteer in caring for the lands that Americans as a whole share. Its goal is to instill an active sense of ownership and responsibility for natural
, cultural, and historic resources in its citizenry.
or working on a wildlife habitat restoration project. Projects can also be found or created in local communities.
Mission
called for an increase in volunteer service in the U.S. The Boy Scouts of America
developed their Service to America program with a commitment to provide 200 million hours of service by youth members by the end of the year 2000. As part of Service to America, the BSA provided service projects in conjunction with the National Park Service
(NPS). In October 2003, the Department of the Interior expanded the program with the creation of Take Pride in America, opening service to all Americans.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
Department of the Interior partnership program that enables individuals, civic groups, corporations and others to volunteer in caring for the lands that Americans as a whole share. Its goal is to instill an active sense of ownership and responsibility for natural
Natural resource
Natural resources occur naturally within environments that exist relatively undisturbed by mankind, in a natural form. A natural resource is often characterized by amounts of biodiversity and geodiversity existent in various ecosystems....
, cultural, and historic resources in its citizenry.
Description
The program provides volunteer opportunities that are available nationwide including spending the summer as a tour guide at a national parkNational park
A national park is a reserve of natural, semi-natural, or developed land that a sovereign state declares or owns. Although individual nations designate their own national parks differently A national park is a reserve of natural, semi-natural, or developed land that a sovereign state declares or...
or working on a wildlife habitat restoration project. Projects can also be found or created in local communities.
Mission
- Awareness: increase the public's sense of responsibility for public resources
- Action: invite the public to help maintain and enhance our shared spaces
- Awards: honor individual and group volunteers for outstanding work in public landPublic landIn all modern states, some land is held by central or local governments. This is called public land. The system of tenure of public land, and the terminology used, varies between countries...
s
Origins
In 1997, President Bill ClintonBill Clinton
William Jefferson "Bill" Clinton is an American politician who served as the 42nd President of the United States from 1993 to 2001. Inaugurated at age 46, he was the third-youngest president. He took office at the end of the Cold War, and was the first president of the baby boomer generation...
called for an increase in volunteer service in the U.S. The Boy Scouts of America
Boy Scouts of America
The Boy Scouts of America is one of the largest youth organizations in the United States, with over 4.5 million youth members in its age-related divisions...
developed their Service to America program with a commitment to provide 200 million hours of service by youth members by the end of the year 2000. As part of Service to America, the BSA provided service projects in conjunction with the National Park Service
National Park Service
The National Park Service is the U.S. federal agency that manages all national parks, many national monuments, and other conservation and historical properties with various title designations...
(NPS). In October 2003, the Department of the Interior expanded the program with the creation of Take Pride in America, opening service to all Americans.
Take Pride Schools
The Take Pride Schools program was launched in the fall of 2005 to introduce a new generation to volunteerism and create future stewards of our public lands. To be designated as a Take Pride School, a school must commit to participating in two Take Pride volunteer events each year benefiting public lands. Participation can be by an entire school, a class, or even an after-school club. Projects must be on public lands (public schools included!), promote Take Pride's message, and benefit public use of public land.Awards
Throughout the year, Take Pride in America gives many different awards to recognize outstanding volunteer efforts of the individuals and groups that make Take Pride a success.- National Awards for individuals or groups are given annually in a ceremony in Washington, D.C.Washington, D.C.Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
- Hours of Service Awards are given to Individuals. The Secretarial Award is given to those who have donated more than 3,000 hours of service on public lands, and the Presidential Award to those donating more than 4,000 hours.
- Special Awards are given by participating elected officials for outstanding volunteer projects and exceptional garden programs that promote the mission of Take Pride.